Card Captors Sakura: The Runaway
by GeneralPen0412
Summary: Twelve years ago, the ruling dynasty was overthrown. After safely fleeing the capital with her family, Sakura Kinomoto the former Princess, enjoyed a life of peace in the countryside. Now, events once again conspire to turn her entire world upside down and thrust her into a conflict that will determine the fate of the Kingdom once and for all!


Hey everybody.

GeneralPen0412 here, reporting for duty, with a new story.

This time it's a CardCaptor's story.

Don't worry I have not given up on any of my other projects. I just wanted to take a break from writing Star Wars and Angel Beats for the time being. Also, I still need to do a lot more research before I am comfortable writing the next instalment for my _Ah! My Goddess_ stories. I might actually remove that story for the time being and then publish it again in earnest at a later date.

If anyone would like to help with suggestions or volunteer to be a beta reader for any of my stories, it would be much appreciated.

Please understand I do have work and other things going on, but I do have a plan - I am going to publish the next instalment of Angel Beats and Gunray's Disposition by the end of the year. Hoping to have one published on Christmas as a gift to you all.

Anyway, onto this story. I used to watch this show a lot when I was growing up, along with Pokemon and Digimon. As you may have seen from my favourite stories there are quite a few out there that I do like. So, when I heard that CardCaptor's Sakura was getting a sequel I decided that I wanted to have a go at writing one myself.

Just be aware, this is not a sequel to the original CardCaptor's story. This one is more like Tsubasa World Chronicles.

I actually started writing this story some time ago. The reason it has taken so long to publish is that I was not happy with it. Having realised that I am not going to get anywhere by just dwelling on it, however, I finally decided to just bite the bullet and just give it a go.

I would appreciate any feedback you guys can offer.

Ok so before we begin here are some finer details.

**Synopsis: **The land of Tomoeda – actually no. This chapter should set the scene quite nicely. So, we'll skip the Synopsis for now. All I will say is that in keeping with the traditions of Clamp, characters from other franchise, including XXXHOLIC and Tsubasa Chronicles will make cameo appearances.

**Couples: **Syaoran and Sakura, with hints of Touya and Yuki. There will also be hints of a one-sided relationship between Syaoran and another CLAMP character from another franchise, see if you can guess who?

**I will give you a hint, it is NOT Tomoyo.**

**Warnings: **This story will contain violence, hints of nudity and implications concerning adult situations. Further warnings will be provided in regards to the latter two in relevant chapters.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the official Clamp characters. Those belong to their rightful owners. I do, however, claim ownership over my own creations.

With that said, let's get to it!

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**CardCaptor's: The Runaway**

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**Prologue**

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The Kingdom of Tomoeda, as it is still known, had not experienced tyranny or war for almost two centuries, before the present crisis!

With the ascension of the first Great Sorcerer King Clow Reed, the countries two resident species; the elves and humans managed to co-exist harmoniously. After years of pointless conflict predating the collapse of the Old Kingdom, the great King brought peace and prosperity to a foreign land. New cities rose, and trade became prosperous once again. Following decades of civil unrest, Tomoeda's inhabitants began to flourish under the capable leadership of mortal Kings and Queens.

This rise in prosperity would not have been possible, were it not for Clow's chosen successors. Strangely, however, when his time finally came, the great King chose to appoint his successor, not from his own bloodline, but from that of one of his most loyal advisers. His own kin to whom it was rumoured the great magician bestowed a hidden purpose mysteriously disappeared from the public record not long afterwards.

Thus it was that the Kinomoto family ascended to the throne!

As Clow had predicted, many a wise and powerful ruler followed in his sted.

Their most recent descendant, King Fujitaka and his wife, Queen Nadeshiko led Tomoeda into what can only be described as a golden age.

Just and fair, the pair ruled together in harmony with their peers. Whilst some viewed them as lenient, the King had proven himself exceptionally wise and the Queen was gifted in the magical arts making them both very powerful. Yet they heeded the advice of others when necessary, listening to council from their Lords and the pleas of their citizens. They were also decisive and swift when punishing the guilty, although they did their best to avoid executions unless absolutely necessary.

Famed for her beauty, which could rival that of any elf, Queen Nadeshiko eventually ensured the continuation of their bloodline through the conception and birth of two magnificent children.

Their son Touya was the firstborn and rightful heir to the throne. A cunning and powerful warrior, he possessed as sharp a mind as either of his parents and a strong heart. These along with several other traits made everyone agree that would one day, he would be a powerful King.

Yet it was the Kinomoto's second child Sakura, the young, carefree, innocent girl who was always smiling that caught most people's attention.

Despite her young age, Sakura possessed a proficiency in magic, which rivalled and then eventually outstripped even her mother's great skill. This caused many to wonder if she was, in fact, the prophecised successor to Clow Reed: - the only one capable of unlocking his greatest but most dangerous gift to the Kingdom. A set of magical cards that he left in his accord, which it was rumoured would grant their wielder the power to destroy evil across the land forever.

These suspicions were all but confirmed when at the tender age of six, Sakura touched the cards and successfully conjured two guardians. Magical advisers and creations of Clow Reed. An irrefutable testament to Sakura's great power and destiny.

Yet it was at this moment, ...

... as Sakura cradled the cards to her and a great cheer of joy rose up throughout the land ...

... that the cold hand of darkness coiled itself into a fist and decided to strike!

Just twelve days after Sakura's great ceremony, a man and a woman came to see their rulers with a dire warning. The pair had been childhood friends of the King and Queen, and their council had always been appreciated. The wife, who came from an ancient noble line, was said to surpass all but Sakura's magical ability. Her husband who had married into her family was unmatched by anybody in regards to his skill with a blade.

The Lady told her friends and their court that she had had a terrible premonition ...

... War was coming to Tomoeda!

After decades of co-existence, the Elven Lords were planning a rebellion!

They, along with the majority of their kind had grown weary of the rule of mortal Kings and Queens.

Now, following more than a century of subservience, they craved that power for themselves and were gathering supporters, including those trained in the evil arts, so as to fulfil their desires and ambitions.

Mortified at such news, The King and Queen had the situation investigated thoroughly. Unlike most others, they were not so much concerned with their own safety than that of their children's. Yet when the investigation was completed, and its results were presented; the entire nobility was in for a shock. According to the inquisition, they had analysed everything thoroughly and concluded that **it was not the elves but the King and Queens childhood friends ...**

**... the same Lord and Lady that came to them with that warning that were stirring up trouble in the land!**

By all accounts, the evidence was irrefutable ...

... its results, unquestionable!

Heartbroken and enraged by this betrayal, King Fujitaka and Queen Nadeshiko denounced their erstwhile friends. Stripping them of their former ranks and titles, the royal army was dispatched to find and capture the pair, along with their servants and family, even as the court bade for their executions.

Yet the disgraced house would not be extinguished that day!

Having anticipated their own downfall, the Lord and Lady had already evacuated their keep. Their children and loyal retainers had fled into the wilderness to locations unknown. As the King's soldiers marched into a now-empty citadel, they found the former nobles standing upon the threshold to their fortress, gazing at their adversaries unafraid. As the woman used her own magic's to ensure hers and her husband's escape, The Fallen Lady delivered a final warning unto the soldiers: -

By ignoring their warning, the King and Queen had jeopardised the legacy of Clow Reed. Their decision had not only sealed their own fates, but it would also cause great suffering upon the innocent citizens of Tomoeda. Whilst two members of the quartet still had a part to play, it would ultimately be up to their children to right the wrongs that were about to be committed and determine the fate of the land, once and for all!

With that, they were gone ...

... and the coup was launched!

As the Imperial Forces marched back to the capital they were suddenly ambushed. Tired from the forced march and demoralized by the failure of their mission, its commanders were made susceptible to the manipulations of the traitors in their ranks. Led into the confinement's of the Imperial Forest, an elven battalion set upon the beleaguered soldiers. To the footmen's horror and astonishment, several of their own turned upon the unsuspecting allies leading to what became known as the massacre in the forest.

Few of those loyalists were ever seen again.

Victorious in the field, the elves overran the castle, aided by a small number of human Lords and soldiers they had managed to sway to their cause. Two of their leaders, as the King and Queens friends had prophesied were learned in the evil arts. The few remaining bodyguards put up a courageous fight but their numbers were too few, the elves strength, agility and magic simply too much.

Recognising that the end of their rule had come and that they could do no more here, the King and Queen collected their children, along with Sakura's two guardians. Making their way to the royal bedchamber they made ready to escape and had just reached the last sentence when the door to their sleeping quarters burst forward.

As the elven warriors made their way into their former Lords chambers, the Queen did not hesitate. In a display of absolute bravery, Nadeshiko Kinomoto used a modified version of the final verse to send her family and their few remaining allies far beyond the cities periphery, into the nearby mountains, where their pursuers stood practically no chance of finding them.

Unfortunately, though, this came at a great cost!

Standing upon the wrong side of the magical circle, and completely drained from the toll of such a spell, the Queen made no effort to escape.

She was cut down mercilessly, her killers shamefully hung her body up for all to see.

As the new dynasty was established, more than several citizens wept at this affront.

Ashamed about his lack of foresight and refusal to believe his friends, whose words had been proven true, King Fujitaka renounced his title. Together with Clow's guardians, Kero and Yue, he took his children and few remaining followers then fled along hidden paths, his heart weighed down with grief and remorse.

With that, the Lost King and his children went into exile, though to where few knew!

Eleven long years would pass, before word about the Kinomoto's filtered back to the Capital ...

... And another year would pass, ...

... before events that would shape the final fate of Tomoeda, were set in motion.

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**To be Continued**

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See you all next time ...


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